Police dog Bud tracks down man after Manchester robbery

MANCHESTER - K-9 Bud tracked down a man who police say helped himself to the till at the Comfort Inn Sunday night and punched a clerk trying to stop him.

The 28-year-old clerk told police he was in the office of the 298 Queen City Ave. hotel about 8 p.m. when he saw a man trying to get into the register.

He confronted the man, who proceeded to walk out the front door. The clerk chased after him, confronting him again outside the hotel and demanded the man return the cash. Instead of returning the money, the thief punched the clerk in the face and then ran off, police said.

The clerk complained of pain to his jaw and neck and was transported to the hospital. Police called in K-9 Bud, who tracked a man across the Queen City Bridge to the Elliot at River's Edge and ultimately to the lower level of the parking garage where police said Kevin Gearhart, 47, of 1269 Elm St., was trying to hide near the elevator.

He was arrested and charged with robbery.

The robbery was captured on video surveillance, which investigators reviewed and positively identified Gearhart as the individual recorded, police said. Investigators said he also had an amount of money on him that was consistent with what was taken from the register.